Before and after left DIEP flap breast reconstruction with right balancing mastopexy in a 41-year-old woman with left invasive breast cancer. She had undergone two past lumpectomies which each had positive margins – a completion mastectomy with removal of the left nipple and areola was required. She did not want an implant for reconstruction and was thrilled to learn she could use her otherwise-unwanted abdominal fat for breast reconstruction!
A left skin-sparing mastectomy that removed her nipple and areola was performed at the same time as a left breast DIEP flap and a right breast lift. Following this surgery, she completed several months of chemotherapy.
Her left nipple was reconstructed using the “nipple sharing” technique, where a right-to-left free nipple graft reconstructed the nipple, and medical tattoo created a new areola. Follow up photos are shown 9 months after her DIEP flap surgery (the vertical full-body images).
Left chest wall radiation completed her cancer treatment. Radiation will cause a free flap breast reconstruction to shrink subtly – therefore, if radiation is anticipated, the breast reconstruction will be created approximately 10-20% larger than the other breast to allow for post-radiation changes. Follow up photos of her breasts are shown 6 months after completion of radiotherapy and a year and a half after her DIEP flap.
*All photos are actual patient photographs and are for illustrative purposes only. Individual results may vary.
